macOS Catalina: 3 features that make it worth the upgrade

Attention Mac users: You can now test drive the next version of Apple's desktop operating system, macOS Catalina, months before it's officially released in the fall.

Before we get into how to install the public beta version of Catalina, let's talk about why you should upgrade. Besides keeping your Mac safe with security patches (always welcome!), Catalina has a couple of standout features that'll make you more productive.

We won't highlight them all, but the following three are the big ones.

1. Sidecar

Sidecar turns your iPad into a powerful touchscreen-enabled secondary screen. Credit: apple

If you own an iPad (running the new iPadOS), you can turn that sucker into a second screen for your Mac using Sidecar. Anyone who's ever used Duet Display knows how useful it is to connect an iPad to a MacBook and get a two-display setup.

Sidecar is like Duet Display on steroids. There are two ways to use Sidecar: wired and wireless (Bluetooth and WiFi) and both modes worked extremely well in my tests. I saw virtually no lag when dragging app windows from a 13-inch MacBook Pro to an 12.9-inch iPad Pro or iPad Air (2019). Similarly, mirroring a Mac screen to an iPad was glitch-free.

Apple just killed Wacom drawing tablets. Credit: apple

Hands-down, my favorite feature with Sidecar is Apple Pencil support. In addition to using an Apple Pencil for drawing, which essentially turns your iPad into a Wacom drawing tablet, you can also use it to point-and-click your way around iPadOS as if it was a mouse.

I also appreciate that there's a "Sidebar" on the left side with Apple keyboard modifier keys (Command, Option, Control, Shift) and Touch Bar controls (for apps that support it) on the bottom even if your Mac doesn't have a Touch Bar.

Whether you're a student or video editor who wants a portable secondary screen to extend your MacBook screen or an artist who might use it as a Wacom substitute, Sidecar is low-key the best feature in Catalina in my opinion.

2. Voice Control

While Catalina's new Voice Control feature is considered an accessibility feature for people with disabilities, everyone can use it.

Unlike Siri, which uses natural language to answer questions, play music, and fetch the weather, Voice Control is a little more mechanical. The feature recognizes specific voice commands, and while you can record your own, there is a learning curve to using Voice Control.

Some of the pre-programmed voice commands for the Voice Command feature. Credit: screenshot: raymond wong /mashable

Learning these precise commands takes time. Credit: SCREENSHOT: RAYMOND WONG /MASHABLE

I wasn't able to become as proficient with Voice Control as the person in the video above, but for basic commands like opening apps and navigating to menus, it was nice to be able to do them hands-free.

With more time and practice, I think power users will be able to develop a workflow that mixes both keyboard shortcuts and Voice Control. For example, I just said "double click" to highlight a word and bring up a toolbar to format text, which was much easier than highlighting it with my trackpad. Ditto for using voice commands for closing and minimizing windows.

3. iPad apps

The new Podcasts app is actually based on the iPad app. Credit: apple

If there's anything the Mac needs more of, it's apps. Rather than force developers to build new apps specifically for macOS, Apple's allowing developers to easily port their iPad apps to Catalina using a new tool called Project Catalyst.

Using Catalyst, developers can convert their iPad apps into Mac apps — complete with Mac-like elements such as menu bars, resizable windows, and keyboard shortcuts — without having to recode everything from scratch. Catalyst is going to be great for small developers who don't have the resources to split their time between iOS and Mac.

In addition to being great for developers, iPad apps on the Mac will be great for users, too. Many apps like Twitter, Jira Cloud, and Rosetta Stone will include features not possible within a web browser.

I'm most excited for the new wave of games on Macs with mouse and keyboard support. For example, Gameloft has already committed to bringing one of my favorite iOS games, arcade racer Asphalt 9, to macOS using Catalyst. Does this mean the Mac's finally getting serious about gaming? The Mac won't suddenly kill PCs, but imagine a playable version of Fortnite on your MacBook Pro. Somebody please tell Epic Games to make it happen!

Overall, iPad apps on the Mac is going to benefit everyone and give macOS the revitalization it needs.

How to download and install

OK, now that you have solid reasons to update to macOS Catalina, here's how to install the public beta.

Step 1: Make sure your Mac is compatible with macOS Catalina. The following Macs can be upgraded to the new OS:

• MacBook (early 2015 or later)

• MacBook Air (mid 2012 or later)

• MacBook Pro (mid 2012 or later)

• Mac mini (late 2012 or later)

• iMac (late 2012 or later)

• iMac Pro (2017)

• Mac Pro (Late 2013 or later)

If you're not sure which model your Mac is, click on the  in the upper left corner of your menu bar and then go to "About This Mac" to find out.

Step 2: Back up your Mac. There are many ways to do that. Whether you use macOS' built-in Time Machine feature or manually transfer all your files to external storage, please back up your data. You're dealing with buggy pre-release software so it is possible something might go wrong.

Step 3: Register for a beta account at beta.apple.com if you haven't previously tested any Apple beta software.

Step 4: Enroll your Mac here and then click on "macOS Public Beta Access Utility" (it's a big blue button). Double-click the macOSPublicBetaAccessUtility.dmg file after it's downloaded and follow the installer's prompts.

Step 5: The installer should then open the Mac App Store. Click "Update" to install the public beta version of macOS Catalina. You'll likely be asked to reboot your Mac to complete the installation.

Step 6: 😎🍏💻